ComplaintsforGray Line of Orlando

• Initial Complaint

  02/28/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We bought tickets for a bus transportation service to *************.We paid in full, and during the drive from Orlando to *******, the driver turned around and did not complete the drive because the race was called off.I bought transportation to *************, and not to the race, so regardless is the race was called off, I wanted to get to ************* by bus, since that's what I paid for.They did not render the service and do not want to refund me back

  Business response

  03/11/2024

  To Whom it may concern;

  The guest is complaining and requesting a refund because they never received transportation to *************, on the day that the ******* 500 race was cancelled.  The guest never purchased transportation to *************, they purchased Transportation to the ******* 500 Race on the 1st anticipated race date.  I have attached for you the copy of the website page which they purchased from and if you read page 8 it actually notes 'If race is called off within 24 hours of departure time to Orlando, a reschedule fee would apply to move the race transportation to the alternate day, as purchase is for a reservation to race transportation at the ****************************** for the first attempt date of the ******* 500 race.'

  The guest on their email to us the guest said 'I've asked to speak to someone and asked for a refund since regardless if the race was postponed, we were planning on spending the day in ************* to visit the museum and installations.'

  We offer a tour to ************* to visit the beach, and we offer Transportation to the **************** for the races.  The guest purchased transportation to the ******* 500 race on the first anticipated race day. They did not purchase transportation to *************.  Furthermore the guest checked that they had read and understood the terms and conditions when they purchased the transportation.

  We had over 200 passengers who purchased transportation, these are the only guests that are asking for a refund, they feel the bus should have gone and provided them a day on *************  so they could visit the facility - per the line I copy and pasted from their email, but that is not what they purchased.

  Therefore no reunify is being made as we provided what was purchased.

  Kind regards,

  Tori

  Business response

  03/11/2024

  Good Afternoon,

  The guest requested a refund of the ******* 500 Race Transportation because the race cancelled when we were en-route to ******************************, and as per our terms and conditions listed on our website, the bus turned around and returned back to Orlando. 

  Per the guests email to Gray Line Orlando on 2/28/24 the guest noted ' I've asked to speak to someone and asked for a refund since regardless if the race was postponed, we were planning on spending the day in ************* to visit the museum and installations.
  
  We were quite stunned that you decided to turn around the bus and not fulfill the ride.'

  I have attached the above copies of our website pages that describe what happens is a race cancels. This is noted on the tour purchase page and during check out the guest must 'check' to note they have read the important terms and conditions. This is what it notes about in case of race delay:-

  PLEASE NOTE IN CASE OF RACE DELAY

  Gray Line Buses are held at the ****************************** until the race is officially called off by ****** officials. Buses are locked and closed during this time to allow the drivers to be in an active 'off duty' status in case of long delays. If the race is called off due to weather, admission tickets will work on the next arrange date and discounted transportation back to ****************************** can be reserved through Gray Line Orlando.
  
  Once race is called off officially buses will return to Orlando. We ask everyone to be back to the buses immediately following race cancellation for a swift departure back to ***************. Buses will depart the speedway no longer than 90 minutes after race finish / cancellation.
  
  If race is called off within 24 hours of departure time to Orlando, a reschedule fee would apply to move the race transportation to the alternate day, as purchase is for a reservation to race transportation at the ****************************** for the first attempt date of the ******* 500 race.

   

  THEREFORE, we are not refunding the tickets for the transportation only to ****************************** for the ******* 500 as we provided the exact services we were required to do so.

  We cannot be responsible for the race cancelling.  We were chartered for race transport, people wanted to go to ****************************** to watch the race.  Most people returned and paid the discounted second day rate to go back on the second race day.  We cannot enforce that everyone takes a transportation to ************* so they can look around for the day instead of spending the day how they choose after the race cancelled.  Hence we are very clear on this tickets is ******* Race Transportation Only and we clearly note in our website in advance what the procedures are if the race cancels at any point.

  We are sorry that we could not fulfill the refund, as we provided what we were paid for.  The guest told us to refund them or they were proceed with a charge back and also write negative reviews about us online, however we feel that we truly provided the services we were paid for to supply and we paid out bus charters and staff.  The guests felt that we would get a lessor charges as we returned to Orlando, this is simply not the case.  You cannot cancel within 24 hours any bus charter service and pay less for it, charters transportation does not work in that manner.  The guest told us on their direct email to us

  'Kindly reimburse our tickets, or I will have to call my credit card for a charge back since the service was not rendered legally, and also will leave a bad review publicly unfortunately.  Thank you in advance for your response within 48 hours or else we will proceed as mentioned above.'

  But unfortunately we feel we cannot refund the guests because they failed to read all the paperwork, terms and conditions in advance.  We supplied transportation for the ******* 500 race, and when the race cancelled we returned to Orlando as per our terms and conditions.

  Kind regards,

  Tori

  Customer response

  03/11/2024

   
  Complaint: 21361428
  
  I am rejecting this response because: 

  
  The Grayline buses are not affiliated with the Race, and are purely a bus transportation provider. I paid to get bus transportation from one location to another, which they did not fulfill. 
  
  They do not offer a refund, instead ask us, as they say in their very email in this complaint, to pay MORE for a postponed trip on another day. This doesn't make any sense.

  Legally, if a service is not provided, the terms and conditions can NOT be used as protection to refuse a refund. 
  
  The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018, explicitly prohibits the implementation of a "no refund policy" and instead upholds the importance of establishing a refund policy that safeguards consumer rights, especially in a case a service is deemed not rendered. 
  
  Consumer Protection Laws and Provisions:

  
  Under Section 120 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, consumers are granted the right to return any advance booking or reservation order for goods or services. Companies are prohibited from unilaterally denying consumers the option to return a product or cancel a service and request a refund.

  
  Furthermore, Section 104 of the Act asserts the supremacy of the Act's provisions in matters concerning competition and consumer protection. This means that any conflicting law or policy, including a "no refund policy" clause, is rendered null and void under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018.
  In addition, Section 129 (1) (a) and (b) (iii) of the Act explicitly bars companies from introducing terms or conditions that undermine the objectives and policies of the Act, deceive consumers, or subject them to fraudulent conduct. This includes any attempt to waive or deprive consumers of their rights to return defective goods or any other rights granted by the Act, as well as any efforts to evade the obligations and duties stipulated in the Act.
  
  

  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

  Business response

  03/21/2024

  To Whom it may concern;
  
  The guest is complaining and requesting a refund because they never received transportation to *************, on the day that the ******* 500 race was cancelled.  The guest never purchased transportation to *************, they purchased Transportation to the ******* 500 Race on the 1st anticipated race date.  I have attached for you the copy of the website page which they purchased from and if you read page 8 it actually notes 'If race is called off within 24 hours of departure time to Orlando, a reschedule fee would apply to move the race transportation to the alternate day, as purchase is for a reservation to race transportation at the ****************************** for the first attempt date of the ******* 500 race.'
  
  The guest on their email to us the guest said 'I've asked to speak to someone and asked for a refund since regardless if the race was postponed, we were planning on spending the day in ************* to visit the museum and installations.'
  
  We offer a tour to ************* to visit the beach, and we offer Transportation to the **************** for the races.  The guest purchased transportation to the ******* 500 race on the first anticipated race day. They did not purchase transportation to *************.  Furthermore the guest checked that they had read and understood the terms and conditions when they purchased the transportation.
  
  We had over 200 passengers who purchased transportation, these are the only guests that are asking for a refund, they feel the bus should have gone and provided them a day on *************  so they could visit the facility - per the line I copy and pasted from their email, but that is not what they purchased.
  
  Therefore no reunify is being made as we provided what was purchased.
  
  Kind regards,
  
  Tori

  Customer response

  03/21/2024

   
  Complaint: 21361428
  
  I am rejecting this response because the company is simply repeating itself. They are obviously lying about the other clients not requesting a refund, since I spoke to some people on the bus about their refund request
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

  Business response

  04/10/2024

  Dear BBB,

  We checked with the Gray Line attorneys and they have confirmed our terms conditions are correct for this transportation for the first departure date of the ******* 500.  Nothing has to change on our website or the way the tour is described.  They have confirmed, if the guest was going to take the issue further they would back us up, and that they feel it would be no problem for them as it is fully desired and the issue is specifically identified within the agreed terms.

  With that said, they advised us the paperwork and time it would take us to respond to his complaint through the courts system would not be worth it.  Therefore we are refunding the guest, not because he is correct, but more because it is not worth the time and attention that would be needed to deal further with it.  Therefore we refunded the guests credit card in full today.  He should see it within the next 48 hours on his card.

  Thanks for your assistance on this.

  Kind regards,

  ****************************

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